Filing device.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1908..

' L. SENGB.

FILING DEVICE. APPLIIOIATIQN rum rma. 24. 1eoa.

LIBORIUS SENGE, OF CRESCENT SPRINGS, KENTUCKY,

ASSIGNOR TO THE GLOBE-WERNIOKE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FILING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed February 24, 1908. Serial N 0. 417,594.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be itknown that I, LIBORIUS SENGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orescent Springs, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of filing devices which, in their usual construction assume the form of drawers having comparatively shallow sides and bein so arranged that, when withdrawn or partTy withdrawn from their cabinet, the front of the drawer may be partly let down to facilitate the inspection, insertion or removal of the contents, and it has for its object the provision of simple, and efiicient means whereby the front of the drawer is retained in an upright position until released and whereby, when released, the front of the drawer is permitted to drop to a predetermined point and is there caught and held from further downward motion, and whereby, when the'front of the drawer is manually returned to its u right position, it is automatically retained tfierein until again released.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 represents a broken perspective view of a drawer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a broken sectional side elevation of my device taken approximately on the dotted line 00-90 of Fig. 3 and showing the drawer front in its vertical position, the drop front being shown in its dropped position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a broken sectional plan view of Fig. 2.

The same numerals of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures.

In its preferred form of construction my invention is applied to a drawer constructed of sheet metal, wherein the sides 1, 1, and their adjacent halves of the bottom 2 are struck up from a single piece and joined together by a channel piece 3 which serves as a housing for the guide rod 4. Suitably fastened to the sides 1, 1 and bottom 2 and at the front edge thereof, is the lower stationary part 5, of the front. Hinged as at 6, Fig. 2, to the upper edge of the stationary part 5 of the.front, is the drop front 7, to which is suitably hinged a latch-bar 8 provided with latches 9, Fig. 2, one on each end of said bar, only one of which is shown. The latch 9 passes through and into a housing 10, Fig. 3, and engages with the stationary piece 11, which is provided with the positioning stops 12 and 13. The stationary piece 11 and housing 10 are secured as by rivets 14, to the side 1 at its upper forward edge as clearly shown. An aperture 15 is provided through the wall 1 communicating with the interior of the housing 10 in such manner that the latch 9 may be engaged by the finger of the operator, to raise said latch out of engagement with the positioning stop 12 to permit the drop front 7 to drop to the osition indicated by the dotted lines in ig. 2, whereupon the latch 9 engages the positioning stop 13 thereby preventing any further movement of the drop' front 7.

As shown at 16, Fig. 3, the latch-bar 8 is thrown out of alinement and this thrown out portion, by bearing against its journal serves to maintain a constant downward spring pressure on the latches 9 to cause their instant engagement with the positioning stops 12 and 1 3 as will be readily understood.

' When he desires to inspect, insert or remove the contents of the drawer, the 0 erator first pulls the same partly out 0 its cabinet, by means of any suitable handle or pull 17 and then, by inserting a finger into the aperture 15 raises the latches 9 out of engagement with the positioning stops 12, thus permitting the drop front 7 to drop forward until caught and held by the latches 9 coming in contact with the positioning sto s 13.

This dropping forward of the front 7 re eases the upper part of the contents of the drawer in such manner that the same may be readily inspected without necessitating their removal and without necessitating the shifting of a follower, where one is provided. After inspection of the contents, the operator simply pushes the drawer back into lace in the cabinet and in so doing, the drop front 7 naturally assumes a vertical position due to the fact that it requires less pressure to restore the drop front to its vertical position than it does to overcome the friction of the drawerin its cabinet, and when the drop front is so restored the spring action of the latch-bar 8 becomes efiective on the latches 9 to cause their engagement with the positioning stops 12 to retain the drop front 7 in its vertical position, as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drawer, the combination, with the sides, bottom, and a fixed front part, of a drop front hinged to said fixed part, a resilient rod carried by the drop front, latches mounted on said rod, and stops secured to the sides, with which the latches coact, all substantially as described.

2. In a drawer, the combination with the I sides, bottom, and a fixed front part, of a drop front hinged to said fixed part, a resili- 5 ent rod carried by the drop front, a latch mounted on said rod, a stop secured to one of said sides and with which said latch coacts, and a housing secured to said side and inclosing said stop and latch, all substan- 20 tially as described.

LIBORIUS SENGE.

Witnesses:

E. Z. BRAGG, LOUISE PLooH. 

